An exclusive Quiet Steel dash panel combines with an expanded absorber on the engine side of the dash panel to limit the amount of unwanted noise coming from the engine compartment. A single-piece substrate under the instrument panel replaces the former multi-piece unit, reducing the risk of squeaks and rattles and boosting perceived quality. The Regular Cab utilizes a soft-trim back panel to improve interior quietness. All models receive a new acoustic headliner.
The F-150 Platinum adds a laminated windshield and ultra-light, more absorptive carpeting and additional insulation in the dash panel, doors and back panel to deliver the kind of quiet ride that’s expected of today’s luxury SUVs.
“The F-150 Platinum is quieter inside than the Lexus LX 450, according to tests that combined scores for wind noise, road noise and harshness measured at highway speeds,” O’Leary said. “We set the bar high with this truck, because we know
customers equate quietness with quality.”
All new F-150s have been tuned from top to bottom to reduce NVH, including all the exterior body panels. Computer models were made to determine where to add curvature and grooves to the metal panels to reduce vibration. New powertrain mounts, in addition to being more durable, also deliver vibration-free performance at idle and while cruising on smooth roads.
The powertrain was tuned to optimize vehicle dynamics, shift quality and durability while reducing unwanted noise and vibration. For example, the standard 6-speed transmission on the 5.4-liter and 4.6-liter 3-valve V-8s reduces gear whine by 10 to 15 dB versus the outgoing 4-speed unit.
The new Ford F-150’s segment-leading quiet ride stems in part from an ingenious technology called the Multi Activation 
Regression Simulation (MARS) model. Sound technicians use the MARS computer model to balance different sound inputs coming into the vehicle – from the powertrain, wind and the road – and make all the sounds blend harmoniously.
“There are some vehicles out there that sound unbalanced. They are good for two of the three attributes, say wind and road noise, but are pretty bad for powertrain noise,” said Mark McCarthy, Ford Truck NVH Engineering manager. “What we’ve done with the new F-150 is focus less on getting each attribute as quiet as possible and work on getting all the levels in balance so the vehicle sounds and feels a little bit more harmonious.”
The sound balancing exercise and having such precise control over all the sound attributes allowed engineers to focus on the engine note, introducing certain frequencies back into the truck to give the engine a pleasing, powerful sound.
Tags: Ford F-150, Ford Trucks, truck
2009 Ford F-150
For truck guys Matt O’Leary and Pat Schiavone, P415 was just another assignment. To their bosses in Dearborn, though, P415-the internal codename for the 2009 Ford F-150-was almost certainly Ford Motor Company’s single most important new-model design and development program this decade. Last year, one in three vehicles carrying the Blue Oval badge sold in America was an F-Series. On a world scale, the F-Series accounts for 13 percent of global Ford Motor Company sales.
Chief engineer O’Leary and chief designer Schiavone seem remarkably relaxed about it all, however, as they walk us through the detail of the new F-150. That’s because they’re old hands at this game: They and their teams worked together on the F-150 that launched in 2004. O’Leary’s spent 30 years at Ford, most of it working on truck programs. Schiavone grew up around trucks-his father was in the construction business-and has helped design three generations of F-150.
The Backbone
Both men also understand that full-size-pickup buyers are among the most conservative consumer groups in the auto biz. Which is why the 2009 F-150 is a carefully considered study in evolution, not revolution. It starts with the fully boxed frame, which is 25 pounds lighter and 10 percent stiffer, thanks to hydroformed high-strength-steel side rails. The double wishbone short- and long-arm front suspension with coil-over shocks shares components with the 2008 Expedition. The 36mm front stabilizer is hollow and eight pounds lighter than the previous component. At the rear are six-inch-longer leaf springs, the extra length forward of the axle centerline to provide better lateral compliance and reduced rear-axle steer.So far, so truck. But O’Leary’s engineering team has delved into Ford’s electronic goody bag to give the new F-150 a level of refinement, security, and user-friendliness unheard of in a pickup truck a few years ago. Ford’s traction- and stability-control systems are now standard on all F-150 models, from the base work truck up. In addition, Ford’s software geeks have figured out a way of using these systems to detect trailer sway: By tracking the yaw motions of the truck, the system can sense whether a trailer is swinging and then use a combination of braking and engine torque control to bring it back under control. If the F-150 is fitted with Ford’s optional Trailer Brake Controller, the system also will use the trailer brakes to bring things back under control. Additionally, the new six-speed automatic transmission includes a towing mode that not only holds a lower gear for hauling up hills, but cleverly works to hold the rig to a constant speed on a downhill stretch.
Brute Strength
Pickup-truck buyers brag about two things: towing performance and payload capacity. O’Leary claims the new F-150 has class-leading towing capacity across all cab configurations and the industry’s highest payload capacity. But the fact the new F-150 will be available only with V-8 engines under the hood makes a strong statement on paper. Base powerplant, even for the pool guy’s regular cab XL, is the 4.6-liter two-valve V-8, which makes 248 horses at 4750 rpm and 294 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. O’Leary claims the engine, though still hooked to a four-speed automatic, delivers the same fuel economy as the 4.2-liter V-6 that serves as the base engine in the current F-150.An all-new 4.6-liter three-valve engine, based on the Mustang small-block, will be the new F-150’s volume-selling powerplant. This engine makes 290 horses at 4750 rpm and 317 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm and drives through the new six-speed automatic. O’Leary says despite the extra power, the new engine returns better fuel economy (about one mpg on the highway, and two mpg in the city) than the base version.The top-range engine (at least until the hush-hush 6.2-liter Hurricane V-8 makes its debut in the next-generation Harley-Davidson edition) is the familiar 5.4-liter Triton V-8. Power is up 10 horses to 310 at 5500 rpm, and torque has been boosted to 365 pound-feet at 3750. The revamped Triton is E85 capable. Look for a diesel in the F-150 in 2010.
Design Cues
Like the mechanicals, the new F-150’s design is evolutionary as well, picking up cues from its bigger Super Duty brothers. The dip in the side window-first seen on the HN80 Louisville heavy truck before migrating down through the Super Dutys-is the most obvious piece of Ford truck DNA on the new F-150.While it might look familiar, parked next to the current model, the changes are obvious, most notably at the front, where the nose has been raised four inches and the grille reworked to echo the “girder” themes of the Super Dutys. Along the body side, big undercuts emphasize the wheel openings, and at the rear is a tailgate with stamped moldings that echo the classic stainless-steel cladding of old F-150s. The taillamps feature a lens within a lens.The windshield is a carryover item from the current F-150, but the roofline has been raised 1.5 inches to meet tougher rollover standards and to package the optional side-curtain airbags without intruding on headroom. As before there are three basic cab configurations: regular cab, SuperCab, and SuperCrew, the last with a whopping six-inch stretch over the current model that gives it class-leading interior room. The most notable thing when you slide in behind the wheel of a crew cab is that the B-pillar is no longer forward of your shoulder. The front-door aperture is much longer (instead of the door from the regular cab, the SuperCrew uses the front door from the SuperCab) yet there’s an acre of room for back-seat passengers.
Big Improvements
With crew cabs now comprising 60 percent of the pickup-truck market, it’s not surprising Ford has spent a lot of time and money on the SuperCrew. To improve cargo-carrying capacity, the floor behind the front seats is completely flat (which meant big engineering changes to sills and moving crossmembers on the frame, among other things). The rear-seat cushion cantilevers out from the rear of the cab and has gas struts that allow you to fold it up against the backrest with one hand (or with the nudge of your knee, if your hands are full). Unlike the current F-150, there is no jack or premium sound-system subwoofer in the way, either. Schiavone claims the SuperCrew has more useable space inside than its Dodge or Toyota rivals.”We took the same logic with the interior as we did with the exterior-toughen it up,” says Schiavone. “We think we now have the right mix of ‘truckiness’ and elegance.” The new dash features strong architectural elements, a modern integrated audio system, and new gauges. There are new seats-more sculpted and more comfortable-and new center consoles.
Dressed to Impress
When the new F-150 hits Ford dealer showrooms, buyers will be able to choose from no fewer than seven distinct trim levels (see sidebar). One of the new additions to the lineup is the truck you see on these pages, the Platinum, an ultralux F-150 positioned above the King Ranch. “King Ranch has kind of a southwest feel,” says Schiavone. “This is more Chicago.” The Platinum gets a unique grille, unique 20-inch polished alloy wheels, and two unique interior environments-the stone and brown you see here, and a stunning black with dark brown seats that almost makes a Lincoln Navigator look dowdy-plus dark wood and real brushed stainless-steel trim on the dash.The success of the upscale F-150 King Ranch, which started out as a 1500-unit-a-year feature vehicle and is now a highly profitable 30,000-unit-a-year series all its own, proves the point. Cowboys like fancy clothes. But that doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten how to shoot.
XL
Base engine: 248-hp, 4.6L 2v V-8. Four-speed automatic. Black bumpers, mirrors, and door handles. No foglamps. Dark interior environment with gray seats. Hose-out rubber floormats. 17-in steel or alloy wheels.
STX
Base engine: 248-hp, 4.6L 2v V-8. Four-speed automatic. Body-color bumpers, grille surround, foglamps. Same dark interior environment as work truck. 17-in alloy wheels standard; 18s optional.
XLT
Base engine: 248-hp, 4.6L 2v V-8. Four-speed automatic. Chrome grille, bumpers. Black with gray (cool) or chocolate brown with tan (warm) interiors. Silver paint on dash, dark finish on center stack, upgraded instrument cluster. 17-, 18-, or 20-in wheels. SuperCab and SuperCrew feature 4.6L 3v V-8, six-speed automatic.
FX4
Base engine: 310-hp, 5.4L 3v V-8. Six-speed automatic. Body color bumpers, door handles, and on mirrors. Black interior, optional light gray seats. Full-length center stack and center console with carbon fiber look trim. Silver gauges. 17-in wheels for off-roaders. 18s and 20s available.
Lariat
Base engine: 310-hp, 5.4L 3v V-8. Six-speed automatic. Two-tone with Pueblo gold lower. Chrome grille with mesh instead of bars. Body-color “skull caps” on mirrors. 18- and 20-in wheels offered. Wood on center stack, console, and doors.
King Ranch
Base engine: 310-hp, 5.4L 3v V-8. Six-speed automatic. Basically a Lariat with King Ranch leather on seats, console and steering wheel, different wood trim, and pale carpets. 18- or 20-in alloy wheels with premium paint trim.
Platinum
Base engine: 310-hp, 5.4-liter 3v V-8. Six-speed automatic. Body-color bumpers with thin chrome trim. Chrome on mirrors. Unique interior environments with brushed stainless-steel accents. Wood on steering wheel. Unique polished 20-in alloy wheels.
Tags: 2009, F-150, Ford F-150, Ford Trucks
Ford’s truck team have redesigned America’s favorite truck inside and out to give customers unrivaled capability, unprecedented choice and a host of smart, game-changing features.
The result is the new 2009 Ford F-150, the new benchmark in the full-size pickup segment from the industry’s truck leader – which has built more than 33 million F-Series pickups since 1948.
The Ford truck team revamping goes from its segment-first features to the tough new exterior highlighted by a dramatic three-bar grille and more spacious, flexible and refined interior, to the unparalleled choice of cab styles and trim levels – including a new Platinum series that redefines truck luxury
- A new high-strength, lighter-weight chassis is the backbone that allows this tough truck to deliver more horsepower, better fuel economy and safety, and additional towing and payload capacity
- In all, more than 1,000 Ford engineers, designers, researchers and others worked together to develop the new 2009 F-150. The team drew inspiration by listening to Ford’s large customer base
- The results will be clear to customers when the new 2009 F-150 rolls off assembly lines at Ford’s Dearborn (Mich.) Truck Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo, Mo. – and as the new F-150 goes on sale in dealer showrooms this fall.
Most Choice
- Ford’s truck team designed a truck that offers more choice than any full-size truck on the market. With three cab styles, four box options and seven unique trim levels, the F-150 comes in 35 different configurations to meet the widest range of customer needs and wants – all delivered with quality.
- Customers can choose from the no-fuss XL workhorse, to the sporty STX and off-road capable FX4, to the mid-range XLT. For those looking for tough luxury, Ford offers the high-end Lariat and King Ranch F-150 models.
- New for the 2009 F-150 is the Platinum series, the most luxurious F-150 ever and the answer to a perennial question: Just how high-end do truck customers want to go?
- The striking F-150 Platinum features a satin chrome grille with fine mesh inserts, 10-way captain’s chairs upholstered with top-quality leather, tuxedo stitching and embroidered logos on the seatbacks. Satin gloss Lacrosse Ash wood grain accents and real brushed aluminum panels give the dash, center console and doors an upscale look and feel. Standard 20-inch, 16-spoke polished aluminum wheels give the truck a commanding presence on the road.
- With more customers interested in personalizing their trucks, Ford is offering the largest selection of wheels in the segment with 13 offerings across the F-150 lineup.
- Under the hood, the new F-150 will be powered by three modern V-8 engines, mated to either a 4-speed or a new fuel-efficient 6-speed automatic transmission. The engines include:
- 5.4-liter, 3-valve Triton V-8, which has been optimized for better performance with improved horsepower and torque, and is capable of running on E85 (85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline), regular unleaded gasoline or any blend in between. 4.6-liter, 3-valve V-8, which is new for F-150. Both the 5.4-liter and 4.6-liter 3-valve V-8’s utilize open valve injection. This unique feature improves the flow of fuel into the combustion chamber, which results in an increase in horsepower during towing and reduced emissions. 4.6-liter, 2-valve V-8, a third V-8 choice in the line-up that delivers more horsepower with the same fuel economy performance as the outgoing truck’s V-6.
- This all-V-8 engine lineup delivers a fleet-average 1 mpg improvement in fuel economy versus the outgoing F-150.
Most ‘Smart’ Features
- Ford’s researchers spent thousands of hours listening to truck buyers to gain inspiration for a host of smart new features for the new 2009 Ford F-150.
- It starts with the clever interior, which features a flow-through console that has been lengthened by approximately 2 inches and is large enough to stow two or more laptop computers. Special ridges are molded into the edges of the bin to accommodate file folders. The console also has a multi-tiered, removable tray and locks to protect valuables.
- More than 30 storage areas are built into the interior, ranging from a bin on the top of the instrument panel to a number of small spaces designed to accommodate tools like cell phones, MP3 players, PDAs and gate access cards.
- A redesigned, more ergonomic shifter remains on the console. New, larger buttons and switches are ergonomically designed and within easy reach and view of the driver. A USB port and auxiliary MP3 player input are conveniently mounted on the dash. Two 12-volt outlets are located on the dash and center console.
- Even the pickup box on the new F-150 breaks the mold with clever and capable features the competition cannot match. The class-leading cargo capacity of 65.5 cubic feet is only the beginning of the story.
- The F-150’s pickup box is made easier to use, more flexible and accessible with such new features as Ford’s industry-exclusive Tailgate and Box Side Steps, Stowable Bed Extender and Cargo Management System.
- Other clever features on the truck, including Ford’s Easy Fuel™ Capless Fuel-Filler System. When fueling is completed and the nozzle is removed, the system automatically seals shut, reducing emissions.
- The new 2009 Ford-150 also will allow truck customers to be connected to the world like never before. Ford has been working with Microsoft, Sony and SIRIUS to offer customers leading technologies to help them stay connected with their lives while on the road including:
- Industry-exclusive Ford SYNC™, a voice-activated, hands-free, in-vehicle communications and entertainment system offers even more functionality for the 2009 model year, with 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Report. SIRIUS Travel Link™ that when combined with voice activated navigation will provide users with a suite of data services including real-time traffic, coast-to-coast weather conditions and fuel price information for over 120,000 gas stations. Voice-activated navigation that integrates several functions, including voice recognition destination entry, climate control and SIRIUS satellite radio into one easy-to-use system, displaying them on an 8-inch touch screen display. Sony audio system that features 700 watts of power, 5.1 surround sound and 10 Sony speakers and amps and is certified by Sony to deliver a unique, rich listening experience.
Ford says “We know how important the F-150 is to our customers,” said O’Leary. “With the new 2009 F-150, we are delivering a top-quality truck lineup that is second-to-none in capability, features and a range of choices that will continue to make Ford America’s favorite truck.”
Tags: 2009 FORD F-150, Ford F-150, Ford Trucks, truck, Trucks
When it comes to the best of the best in the truck class, there is no better option than the Ford F-150. For over ten years, the Ford F-150 has been at the top of this class. Not only is this truck popular among ordinary people, but construction workers love the power and toughness that it has to offer.From the outside, the Ford F-150 has a great look. In the front it has the same look as the Explorer, which does it justice. And of course when you get around to the back you will notice a large bed that can help you haul a number of different items. Also, don’t overlook having your Ford F-150 equipped with the tow package. This will give you the ability to haul a trailer, boat, or u-haul with ease.
When it comes to the interior of the Ford F-150, you will not be disappointed. The front seat is quite comfortable, and the layout is easy to live with. If you opt for the full cab, your back seat riders will be able to travel in comfort.
On the road the Ford F-150 has no problem keeping up. And if you opt for four wheel drive you will be able to take your truck into almost any situation imaginable.
The Ford F-150 has always been a very popular truck. And as long as Ford continues to do what they are doing with the F-150, this will always be popular among truck buyers all over the country.
Tags: Ford F-150, Ford Trucks
